Stop-light switch



March 11, 1930. H. E. NoRvlEL STOPLIGHT SWITCH Filed Dec. '7, 1928 Patented Mar. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY E. NORVIEL, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T DELCO-BEMY CORPORA- TION, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE STOP-LIGHT SWITCH Application filed December 7, 1928. Serial N0. 324,365.

This invention relates to electric switches particularly adapted for controlling the signal lamp of automotive vehicles.

One of the objects is to produce a switch of simple structure and design capable of being commercially produced at a minimum cost of labor and material.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic fragmentary side view of an automobile chassis, showing a switch construction according to the present invention mounted thereon and connected with a source of current in the conventional way.

Fig. 2 is a side View of the switch.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side view looking in the direction of arrow 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6'is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

With particular reference to the drawings the switch comprises a cup-shaped case member 20 provided with a supporting bracket or head 21 which acts as a cover for the cup, and completes the switch enclosure or hous- 35 ing. The bracket is held to the case by the bent tangs 22 projecting from the edge of the case and bent over against the head 21 as shown in Fig. 4. The supporting bracket insulatingly supports terminal rivets 23 and 40 23 which are tapped to receive terminal screws not shown.

The case and supporting bracket are provided with apertures 24 and 25 respectively, in direct alignment with each other and supports a shaft 26. The shaft is provided with splines 27 which are driven through a contact carrier or disc 28 made of non-conducting material. The carrier 28 is provided with a hole 29 for receiving the shaft 26, said hole includes notches 30 for receiving the splines 27. The carrier 28 carries an arcuate movable contact member 31 concentric to the shaft 26, and is provided with a plurality of holes 32, to receive the projections 33 of the contact member 31. The projections after passing through the holes 32 of disc 28 are turned over on the other side thereof, forming ears 34, firmly holding the contact member 31 to the disc 28, as shown in Fig. 6.

The contact 31 is normally held out of engagement with the terminal 23 by a spring 35 coiled about the shaft 26. One end 36 of the spring 35 fits into a hole 37 provided in the shaft 26, the other end 38 of the spring extends into a slot 40 provided in the switch case 20. In assembled relation the spring 35 is in compressed formation, so that it tends to rotate the shaft and disc 28 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 and- 4, and being disposed between the case 20 and disc 28 will force the disc 28 to the right on the shaft 26 as viewed in Fig. 3, so as to insure engagement of the movable contact with the fixed contact when in proper alignment therewith.

The shaft 26 is operated by a brake pedal or other control member of the vehicle in the following manner. 44 designates an automobile chassis which supports a brake pedal 45, having a lever arm 46 connected by one end of a spring connection 47 to a switch operating lever 48 which is attached to the shaft 26. The lever 48 is limited in its movements by lugs 49 and 50 formed in the wall 51 of the case 20.

It is obvious that when the pedal 45 is depressed the lever 48, shown in Fig. 1, will move toward the right of the drawings by means of the lever 46 and spring connection 47. Therefore when the lever 48 is moved in a counterclockwise direction the shaft 26 will move the contact 31 into engagement with terminal 23". The contacts 23 and 31 are so arranged that a slight depression of the lever 45 will cause an electric circuit to be made by the switch, and this circuit will be maintained closed on further depression of the pedal 45. On continued depression of the lever 45, the lever 48 will come in contact with lug 50 which limits the movement of lever 48, but the brake lever may be depressed further without opening the circuit or damage to the switch due to the spring connection 47 between lever 46 v and 48.

The circuit which is closed by the switch comprises a battery 60, grounded at 61 upon the vehicle frame, and connected by a wire 62 to terminal 23*, and thence by a w1re 63 attached to the terminal 23, with a connector socket 64 of a rear end lamp 65. The connector socket 64 is'connected with a lamp for illuminating the signal lamp at the rear of the vehicle, and the return circuit of the lamp is made through ground connection 66.

When the pedal is released it will be returned tonormal position in any sultable manner as by springs not shown, thereby permitting the lever 48 to be returned to the position shown in Fig. 2, in which the stop lug 49 limits the return movement of the lever 48.

The supporting member 21 is provlded with an ear 70 having a plurality of apertures 71 to receive screws 72 for attaching the switch to the vehicle chassis 44.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a referred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In an electric switch comprising, a supporting bracket; a case; means for joinm the case to the bracket to provide a pair 0 parallel walls, a shaft journalled in said bracket and case; a non-conducting movable contact carrier mounted on said shaft; a plurality of contacts insulatingly mounted on the supporting bracket to be engaged by the movable contact; a spring for yieldingly maintaining the movable contact in engagement with one of the stationary contacts, and means for rotating the shaft in one direction, and an operating member for rotating said shaft in the opposite direction.

2. A switch comprising in combination, a switch housing; stationary contacts carried by said housing; a movable contact within said housing, a sprin adapted to maintain said movable contact isengaged from one of the stationary contacts but in proper alignment therewith for purpose of engagement; and means for moving said movable contact into engagement with both of the stationary contacts.

3. A switch comprising in combination, a switch housing; a shaft rotatably supported by said housing; contacts insulatingly carried by the housin a movable contact insulatin 1y carried by t e shaft; means upon said sha t yieldingly maintaining the contact on the shaft out of engagement with one of the contacts on the housing but in constant engagement with another contact on the housing; and operating means secured to the shaft outside the housing.

4. A switch comprising in combination, a switch housing; a shaft rotatably supported by said housing; contacts insultingly carried by the housing; a movable contact insulatingly carried by the shaft; a spring adapted to exert an endwise pressure upon the movable contact to yieldably urge said movable contact toward the stationary contacts but adapted also to exert a rotatlve force upon the movable contact to normally maintain said movable contact out of engagement with one of the stationary contact; and an operating means secured to the shaft.

5. A switch comprising in combination a switch case; a shaft rotatably supported by.

said case; a non-conductible contact carrier having a plurality of apertures, said carrier being mounted on said shaft; and an arcuate contact member on said carrier having the ends thereof extending through the apertures in the carrier for anchoring the contact member to the carrier.

6. An electric switch comprising a rotatable non-conducting member having a plurality of apertures substantially diametrically dispose and an elongated metal contact member having ends protruding through said apertures and bent over to securely anchor said contact member to the nonconducting member. I,

7. An electric switch comprising, in combination a switch housing, said housing insulatingly su porting a lurality of fixed contacts, a sha j ournalled in the housin a nonconductible contact carrier fixed to t e shaft and provided with a contact member, and a s ring having one end fixed to the shaft and t 0 other end en aging the housing tending to rotate the sha t and to insure engagement of the contacts.

8 An electric switch comprising, in combination a switch housing, said housing insulatingly supptorting a plurality of fixed contacts, a sha journalled in the housing, a non-conductible contact carrier fixed to the shaft and provided with a contact member, an operating member mounted on said shaft exterior of the housing, said housing providing a plurality of stops for limiting the movement of said member; and means for normally urging the member against one of the stops.

9. In a switch having a cup and a supporting member forming a switch enclosure, the combination comprising, a shaft journalled in said cup and supporting member, a nonconducting member mounted on said shaft and supporting a movable contact, a plurality of fixed contacts insulatingly mounted in said supporting member concentric to said shaft, control means for rotating the shaft in one direction to bring the movable contact into engagement with the fixed contacts, means within the enclosure urging the shaft in the other direction of rotation and for biasing the said contacts in engaging relation, and stop members on the enclosure to limit the movement of the said control means.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

HARRY E. NORVIEL. 

